Distorted Love
by codegal
Summary: Serena runs away to solve matters of the heart... but her duties as Sailor Moon can no longer be ignored as a new evil makes itself known, and Serena has to deal with everyone and everything she left behind...
1. Chapter One

Distorted Love –Chapter One.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Sailor Moon. However, I do take ownership in any other characters that are mention that are not featured in Sailor Moon.  
  
AN: I just want to thank Akima for helping me produce this story and for naming it. You're the best! =)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Serena bit her lip, holding back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. She was seated in the living room, across from her parents who were currently examining her report.  
  
"Serena, your half-yearly report is mainly composed of D's. Do you care to explain?" Serena's father asked.  
  
Serena said nothing, keeping her gaze averted from her parents. Her father sighed.  
  
"Serena, honey. You do know that you have my full support in everything that you do. But this," Serena's father waved her report for emphasis, "is not on. How can you keep getting D's?"  
  
Still saying nothing, Serena hoped that it would be over soon.  
  
Was it her fault that saving the world's far more important than doing her school work?  
  
Serena's parents looked at each other and nodded their heads. "Serena, I hate to do this to you but, until your grades pick up, I'm forbidding you from seeing your friends. That means no Darien."  
  
Serena's head snapped up at the mention of Darien's name. "No!" Serena screamed.  
  
"Honey, relax. It's only until your grades improve," her mother re-assured.  
  
"No! You don't know what Darien means to me!" Serena yelled before running to her room and slamming the door.  
  
Serena's parents sighed yet again.  
  
"I hope where doing the right thing, honey." Serena's mother said.  
  
Serena's father put held her hands in his. "Me too."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Serena waited until she knew Luna was asleep before sneaking out of her bedroom window. Sneaking out late at night was pretty risky and if Serena were caught, she'd be grounded for life.  
  
But Serena needed to see Darien. Needed him to tell her that everything was OK. Needed him to hold her while she cried her whole heart out into his shoulder.  
  
Serena tried to picture her life without Darien and experienced a stabbing pain. Serena cried out in pain and ran as fast as she could to Darien's apartment.  
  
Everything went by in a blur. Serena was partially blind from all the tears that made their way down her face. Serena didn't notice where she was until she collided in with the outside building wall of Darien's apartment.  
  
Cursing to herself, Serena got up off the ground and dusted herself off. Wiping her eyes, Serena entered the building and walked up the stairs to his apartment. As she saw it, her hopes raised, and she felt slightly better at the knowledge that she was standing outside of Darien's apartment.  
  
Raising her hand, she knocked on the wooden door and waited for Darien to answer.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Serena knocked several times.  
  
Still nothing.  
  
Serena felt her world crumble around her. Not even Darien had time for her. Serena sank to the floor, tucking her body into a ball as she slid into a world of misery.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yep, that's it for now. What do you think? Review people and tell me if I should continue or not.  
  
*Codegal* 


	2. Chapter Two

Distorted Love –Chapter Two.  
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi or someone like that.  
  
Special Thanks to: Serenitas and SailorGurl.  
  
AN: Sorry for not updating sooner. I had a lot of exams and homework to do. *sobs* Teachers are so mean!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Serena skipped school the next day and sat in the park on her and Darien's favourite bench, drowning in her thoughts.  
  
What's wrong with me? Serena thought, over and over again.  
  
Sighing, she sat back on the bench, miserably watching the people rush by in a hurry to get to work. Suddenly, Darien came into view and Serena jumped up, running towards him while calling his name.  
  
Darien turned and looked at Serena, a look of longing flashed momentarily in his eyes before turning blank. Turning, Darien walked rapidly away. Serena stopped running and everything around her slowly blurred.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Darien hated himself at that moment, hatted himself for walking away from Serena. But Serena's dad had phoned him and told him of Serena's situation and asked him if he could stay away from her just for awhile.  
  
Darien had almost refused. To him, awhile was a long time. He needed to see Serena's beautiful face everyday. Craved the happy buzz that Serena gave him every time they were together.  
  
But Darien wasn't going to be selfish. If this will help her succeed in school, then he was all for it. Then something struck him.  
  
Wasn't Serena supposed to be in school right now?  
  
Darien looked over his shoulder and saw that Serena was still standing in the middle of the park, tears streaming down her beautiful face.  
  
Oh God, Darien thought and groaned inwardly. He could feel his resolve melting and he wanted so badly to wrap Serena in his arms and never let her go. Comfort her and touch and…Darien shook his head.  
  
A promise is a promise.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Serena stood stock-still in the park, crying freely. She couldn't understand why Darien was doing this to her, why he –  
  
"Perfect!" a masculine voice exclaimed, jolting Serena out of her thoughts.  
  
"Huh?" Serena mumbled, wiping her tears away and focusing on the figure in front of her.  
  
"I think you just might be the one that I'm looking for."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yeah, so uh…….tell me what you think.  
  
*Codegal* 


	3. Chapter Three

Distorted Love - Chapter 3.  
  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Sailor Moon...  
  
Special Thanks to: SailorGurl, Serenitas, Lizzie, mystique, Lita Chan, san, Sweet-Innocence for reviewing  
  
AN: Sorry for taking a long time to update! Lolz... I was just distracted. Anywayz, here's the next edition, enjoy...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The bell rang, signaling the end of class and school. Serena packed her bag and headed out into the corridors. The corridors were jammed-packed with students going to their lockers, talking or trying to make it to the exit in one piece. Serena had to block her nose because of the amount of B.O was just killing her.  
  
After 10 minutes of trying to squeeze past people, Serena finally made it outside. She then made her way to Rei's Temple where she had called for a meeting. Serena thought about the announcement she was going to make and quickened her footsteps.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
*Rei's Temple*  
  
"What did you want to tell us, Serena?" Lita asked, seating herself on the hard floor of Rei's Temple. Serena waited until everyone was seated before taking a deep breath.  
  
"Yesterday, I was sitting in the park when I was approached by a gorgeous guy. He had jet-black hair, coffee-colored eyes, a perfect nose, full, kissable lips and the cutest butt I've ever seen." The girls all sighed softly, all thinking about the image that Serena had created.  
  
"Guys, settle your hormones." Ami chided.  
  
"Settling Ami." Mina replied, causing everybody to laugh.  
  
"Anyways, his name is Emanuel and he offered me a modeling contract in America. I think I'm gonna accept it." Serena said, waiting for their congratulations.  
  
"America is kinda far. How are you going to continue with your duties as Sailormoon?" Lita asked. Serena shrugged.  
  
"It's not like you need me. I mean, all I do is cry and get in your way. Besides, this can be my only chance that I get to be an ordinary girl with a career."  
  
There was a stunned silence.  
  
Then Rei stood up angrily, her eyes blazing with anger. "You're the most selfish girl I've ever seen! You're going to leave your duty just so you can pose in front of cameras? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there are lives out there that need to be protected!" Rei yelled angrily. Serena jumped to her feet.  
  
"How dare you! You have no idea how it feels like to be me. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, something that may not happen to me ever again and I intend on taking this as far as it can go!" Serena yelled back, clenching her fists.  
  
"Don't know what it feels to be like you? Hello, Serena! We're Sailor Scouts too, you know, but we don't high-tail it out of here once it gets a little too tough for us!"  
  
Serena paused, and then mumbled, "It's not the same for you as it is for me. I mean, I'm the leader, I've got all this responsibility stuff hanging over my head."  
  
"Whatever," Rei said coldly, disgust written clearly all over her face, "as far as I'm concerned, you're a selfish bitch who thinks of herself before others."  
  
And with that, Rei walked out of the temple, followed by Lita, Ami and Mina. Before she left though, Mina turned around and said, "I hope you know what you're doing."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Once again, Serena found herself in the park with tears streaming freely down her face. She seemed to be crying alot lately. As she walked through the park, Serena placed her hands in her pocket and felt the business card that Emanuel had given her.  
  
Why not? Serena thought, making her way to a nearby phone booth. Opening the door to the phone booth, Serena placed the card on top of the phone and lifted the receiver.  
  
The ring tone of the phone sounded out into the small booth. Serena lifted her hands to insert a few coins but stopped when images of the other girls flooded her mind.  
  
Ami was reading a book while they were at a beach, Rei was teasing her about her meatballs, Lita was going on and on about her ex-boyfriend and Mina was telling everybody how she wanted to be a star.  
  
No matter what she thought about, there was always a main theme that played throughout her memories. They were laughing together, fighting together, joking together, even crying together.  
  
Serena's hand trembled, and she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Then she remembered their faces as she had told them the good news. Every single one of them had turned against her.  
  
Finding her resolve again, Serena steadied her hand and went to insert a few coins when an image of her and Darien came to mind. This time, tears fell silently down her cheeks. The memory of when they sat in their favorite park bench, watching the sunset after they had just shared a kiss.  
  
Serena placed an arm on top of the booth and wept, the memories too overwhelming for her to deal with. Am I doing the right thing?  
  
Serena thought through it all, going over recent events, letting them play over and over in her mind. And always, the thought 'am I doing the right thing?' played in her mind.  
  
After a few more minutes, Serena made up her mind. She inserted a few coins into the coin slot and dialed Emanuel's number. The phone rang three times before Emanuel answered.  
  
"Speak to me." Emanuel said.  
  
"Uh, Emanuel? It's me Serena. About that modeling thing? When can you pick me up?" 


	4. Chapter Four

Distorted Love – Chapter 4  
  
Disclaimer: No, I do not own SM...  
  
Special thanks to: serena79  
  
AN: OK, this was quickly put together cause serena79 asked really nicely ;) Anywayz, here's the next edition, enjoy...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
[Five years later...]  
  
"And the Teen's modeling choice award goes to...." the announcer paused, building the excitement and tension of the audience. The announcer opened the envelope and smiled.  
  
"Serena Tsukino." Serena was so nervous that she had missed what the announcer had said. She sighed and looked around to find that everyone was staring at her. Why are they staring? Serena thought.  
  
She looked at them in confusion, and then turned back around to find the announcer waving madly at her to come forward to the podium. Serena pointed to herself in confusion. Me? She mouthed.  
  
A look of exasperation crossed the announcer's face.  
  
Serena's face lit up and she made her way to the podium while her competitors behind her and the audience clapped and cheered. Serena accepted her crown and trophy and made a small speech, thanking her fans and her modeling agent, Emanuel, who couldn't be there with her tonight.  
  
Smiling again to the cheering audience, Serena exited the stage, her heart beating a mile a minute, her hands shaking like something fierce and feeling so overjoyed, she thought that she would burst with it.  
  
Finally, she thought, all that hard work has finally paid off.  
  
The night went past in a blur, and Serena was walking on air.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Trista watched as Serena walked back down the red carpet, chatting to a few people, thanking them for the compliments and posing for a few pictures.  
  
It had been a whole five years since Trista had last saw her. What was once a blonde klutz who chased after guys and ate endless amounts of food; was now a stunning model with a slim womanly figure.  
  
Serena generally looked the same as she had five years ago except for the changes to her figure and her sense of style. And she had changed her hairstyle. Instead of her trademark meat-balls, her hair was let out so that it could fall down her shoulders and back. Her simply cut black evening dress billowed in the slight wind, giving glimpses of her black heels.  
  
Trista also noticed the small rays of light that bounced off the locket that she wore around her neck.  
  
So, Trista mused, after all this time, she still carries her brooch.  
  
Trista waited until Serena was well away from the camera's before approaching the model. Trista walked up behind Serena and said in a soft voice that was almost inaudible, "Hello Serena."  
  
Serena whirled around and faced Trista, her face showing surprise.  
  
"Hello" Serena replied politely. "Do I know you?"  
  
"You do know me, princess, but you do not remember me. I am Trista; I guard the gate of time." Serena looked confused, her eyebrows rising at the woman.  
  
"Wait a minute. I know you but do not remember you? That's kind of weird. And did you just call me princess?"  
  
A slight smile flitted across Trista's face before disappearing behind her calm expression. Serena's American accent sounded quite funny to listen to. "I am Trista." She calmly announced again, waiting for the instant of recognition.  
  
"Ok, so what do you want from me?" Serena asked.  
  
"It's not what I want but what you must do." Trista replied.  
  
Serena paled and looked at Trista in disbelief. She had a sinking feeling that things were about to go wrong. Trista noted the sudden flare of recognition in Serena's eyes.  
  
"No," Serena whispered, "I love it here. I-I can't go back."  
  
"You must," Trista insisted gently, "the ultimate evil is coming, which will bring the world to an end. Only you can stop it. You and the other sailor scouts. You must all combine powers before it is too late to save all of humanity."  
  
Trista held out her hand but immediately went stock-still. She looked around her, sensing something. A dark force of some sort.  
  
"Hurry, we must leave. The evil forces draw near to us. I fear that they are planning to take you now that we have found you. Quick, take my hand." Trista said.  
  
Serena looked unsure. "What about my career? And what evil forces are you talking about? I gave that up five years ago."  
  
Trista sighed impatiently. "What's more important to you? Saving the world or your career?" Trista almost shouted angrily, but stopped as she felt the evil presence, much stronger then before.  
  
"We must go, now. We don't have much time left. They are almost upon us, and I fear that I will not be able to protect you well enough, princess." Trista held out her hand again.  
  
"Ok, I'll come. But answer this one question for me: where are we going?"  
  
Trista grabbed on to her hand before answering, "To Tokyo. Back to where you came from, Serena. You've been running for so long now, it's time to go back."  
  
Serena paled. "Oh, God."  
  
"Ok, now close your eyes and don't say a thing until I tell you to, alright?" Trista ordered.  
  
Serena obeyed and closed her eyes while holding onto Trista's hand tightly. She knew in her heart, that she will never see America again. It was time to face the music. 


	5. Chapter Five

Title: Distorted Love – Chapter 5  
  
Author: Codegal  
  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own SM  
  
Special Thanks to: !!!!!SWCATINA!!!!! and Astird.  
  
Author's Notes: This is kinda longer then my other chapters, cause I wanted to re-introduce the other characters... Anywayz, R & R as always... ~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You can open your eyes now."  
  
Serena opened her eyes and found that she was back in Tokyo. Five years away from it and Tokyo still looked the same, except Serena could feel something different, a force of some kind, lurking in the air. Serena shivered and shook her head, pushing the thought away.  
  
But when Serena glanced at her companion, she had a feeling that she wasn't dreaming. Trista was scanning the area, looking for any signs of evil. "So what do we do now?" Serena asked, breaking the silence.  
  
Trista glanced at Serena and smiled slightly. "I will go back to my post at the gate and you will begin your mission," Trista informed.  
  
"What exactly is my mission?" Serena asked, hoping to be enlightened on why she was actually back in Tokyo. Trista sighed.  
  
"Have I not explained it to you already?"  
  
Serena shrugged and Trista sighed again.  
  
"You must stop the forces of evil from taking over the earth. Now I must leave you. Good luck Serena."  
  
"Wait!" Serena called out desperately, her feelings of incompetence threatening to overwhelm her. "Don't leave me here! I don't know what to do!"  
  
Trista smiled, "Believe in yourself, Serenity. If you just follow your instincts, you'll find that you already know what to do." And with that, Trista gave one last smile before disappearing.  
  
Serena looked around and shivered, feeling all alone. Over the five years in which she had been away from Tokyo, there was not one moment in those years in which she was left alone. She had always either had Emmanuel or Tania to do her biddings.  
  
You can do this, Serena reassured herself. Feeling more confident, Serena covered her shoulders with her wrap and decided to head down town and check around for a payphone since she had left her handbag with Tania.  
  
Passers-by stopped and gawked at Serena as she made her way down town, Serena with her head held high and a dazzling smile. Quite use to the attention, Serena kept her face carefully concealed, a trick she had learned to do to survive in her industry. A trick that had taken awhile, seeing as her every emotion would flit across her face, as Emmanuel would like to tell her.  
  
Serena stopped at a cafe that she had never seen before and walked in. The cafe had a small dance floor near the back, booths filled with teenagers and a bar stool around the counter. As soon as Serena walked in, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Serena.  
  
Serena, carefully keeping her facial expression blank and stand-offish, looked around, feeling a little self-conscious, even though she was use to this type of attention. Serena looked down and saw her evening dress and laughed. It looked as if she was a bit overdressed for a cafe. Smiling, Serena walked up to the bar stool to ask for the nearest pay phone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Darien, are you okay?" Lita asked, looking concerned. One minute, they had been talking and the next, Darien had froze.  
  
"Darien? Hello? Any one there?" Lita asked. Darien shook his head and whispered hurriedly, "Look at the door but glance quickly. Is it who I think it is?"  
  
Lita glanced at the door and froze.  
  
"Oh my God. Could it be? What is she doing here?" Lita whispered, stunned.  
  
"Why are you asking me? Shhh, here she comes." Darien ducked his head and concentrated on the counter. Please go away; please go away, Darien thought urgently.  
  
Darien felt a tap on his shoulder. Damn.  
  
"Um, excuse me, is this seat taken?" he heard Serena ask. Sighing in defeat, Darien turned around and stared at Serena, taking in her outfit and how incredible she looked.  
  
"Hi, Serena. Long time no see." Darien drawled. Serena looked shocked and paled.  
  
"Darien?" Serena murmured before fainting.  
  
"Oh, my God."  
  
Darien jumped to his feet and leant over Serena, who had fainted on the floor. Lita hoisted herself up and over the counter and knelt down beside Serena. "Darien, what did you do to her?" Lita asked, regarding Serena's pale face.  
  
"Nothing," Darien replied defensively, lifting Serena into his arms and rising from the floor. Darien turned and realised that everyone at the cafe was watching him.  
  
"What are you all looking out? Never seen a fainted girl before? Ain't nothing here to see." Lita informed and quickly ushered Darien out the cafe.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Hey, Charlie! Something came up so I need to go home early!" Lita yelled.  
  
"Alright, but you got the early shift tomorrow." was the reply.  
  
Cursing under her breath, Lita quickly exited the cafe and joined Darien outside, who was cradling Serena in his arms and rocking her gently. "What do we do now?" Lita asked.  
  
"Let's go to my place and then call the others from there," Darien suggested.  
  
"Okay," Lita agreed and they both made there way towards Darien's apartment with a still-unconscious Serena.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"This better be good." Raye grumbled as she walked in, followed by Ami and Mina.  
  
"Hey, Darien. What's the emergency?" Mina asked, getting down to business. Darien took a deep breath and led the three of them to his bedroom where Lita was looking after Serena.  
  
Lita was sitting in a chair next to the bedside where Serena was sleeping. The three ladies stopped in their tracks and froze. Raye was the first to recover.  
  
"What the hell is she doing here?!" Raye demanded furiously, her eyes blazing with anger. She just couldn't believe it! After all that time, she dared come back? All the anger that she had managed to suppress with the help of both Chad and meditation re-surfaced, and Raye's temper reached boiling point.  
  
"Raye, calm down!" Ami ordered.  
  
"She slipped into unconsciousness when we met her at Bells cafe." Darien informed the others.  
  
"Yeah, and then we brought her here," Lita added.  
  
"If you ask me, I think she's just putting on an act. If I slapped her....." Raye said, rolling up her sleeve and stepped towards the bed.  
  
"Raye, get a hold of yourself!" Mina ordered. Lita got up and grabbed Raye, placing her in the chair then murmuring, "stay."  
  
"Okay, now what?" Mina asked.  
  
"Well, I'll check and see if she's alright, then we can..." Ami trailed off as she noticed that Serena was waking up. Everyone gathered around the bed, except for Raye, who was sulking on the chair.  
  
Serena's eyelids fluttered open, and for a few moments, Serena looked confused and lost. After a few minutes of recovery, Serena looked around and found that she wasn't alone. "Uh, hi guys," Serena greeted her friends after 5 long years.  
  
Then, all hell broke loose. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Distorted Love – Chapter 6.**  
  
**Author:** Codegal  
  
**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own SM.  
  
**Special Thanks to:** sere, natalia, Aleric, Silver Moonlight-81, Raven-chan, usagi, Rosaleena, Victoriaanimeluver, Lindel, trunksvegetafrodo, vi3tQt and Sailor Moon Serenity. Thanks for the reviews, guys... =}  
  
**Author's Notes:** Ok, a few things that I need to get off my chest after reading a few of my reviews.

1/ The whole thing about Trista leaving Serena alone. For one thing, Serena is a fully-fledged adult, who doesn't need to be lead around by the hand. She is also familiar with the place, as she has grown up in Tokyo. I bet if she really wanted something, she'd have no trouble getting it. And finally, I think the fact that Serena is there to save the world is enough to drop her off at Tokyo. I mean, if my ass was on the line, I wouldn't want to have to wait for my saviour to go through proper channels to get ready and everything. I'd want them to bust their ass over to my place immediately, do their thing, and then go back home, so that I may go on with my life.

2/ Ok, do I detect a suspected Flame!? grabs fire extinguisher die, dammit, die!! Ok, going all the way back to ch.1. There is a deeper reason to why Serena is crying, and can be found if you read the text properly. Some people obviously took things at face-value...

3/ And finally, Serena's reaction to finding everyone around her is something typically Hollywood-ish... Thought it would go nicely, seeing as she's been living in America for the past five years...  
  
Ok, takes a deep breath on with the story...  
  
---  
  
The guardian cats stood watch over the city, two lone cats scouting for danger.  
  
They could sense the rising evil, its presence like a cloud of smoke that smothered Tokyo, suffocating all that inhabited the city. The presence waited in the shadows, readying itself to strike out at an unsuspected time.  
  
Luna shivered and looked over at her companion, Artemis. Over the five years in which they had taken up the duty to scout for danger, he had obtained his fair share of battle scarring, the most obvious was the one that ran along his cheek, right under his left eye.  
  
"Artemis," Luna began. "I have a grave feeling that something is about to happen."  
  
Artemis glanced over at the black cat, knowing more then well that they should follow her intuition, for it had saved their lives more than once before. Artemis glanced around, carefully scouting out for any danger.  
  
"There doesn't seem to be anything out here," Artemis announced.  
  
Luna looked around carefully, the sense of danger intensifying and almost overwhelming her. Standing together on top of Tokyo Tower, Luna desperately roved the city, though not finding anything unusual in the night. She shivered.  
  
Time stood still for the lone figures on the tower, and it was at that precise moment, that all went still. And silent.  
  
A shiver ran through Luna, and the urge to run flooded her senses. Luna whimpered, looking over at Artemis. "Something is very wrong, Artemis."  
  
Artemis nodded. "We should leave and find the scouts."  
  
Both cats turned to only be confronted with a black hooded figure. They froze.  
  
The hooded figure moved towards them; no, it floated towards them, its movement making no sound, except for a slight eerie rattling, eliciting shivers from both cats.  
  
"Artemis. I think we may be in trouble."  
  
Eyes still locked on the hooded figure that moved ever so closer towards them, Artemis whispered one single word.  
  
"Run."  
  
Both cats turned, ready to flee. The shadow moved in a blinding speed, cutting off their retreat. It moved forward, it's being seem to focus on Luna.  
  
Luna gulped, turning to run, when the most excruciating pain overcame her. Crying out, she slumped to the floor, gasping for breath. She looked up, and through the haze of pain, she could make out the hooded figure bending over her.  
  
A growl could be heard from somewhere on her right, and she watched as Artemis pounced on the figure, his claws extended, ready to inflict some damage. But the impossible happened. Artemis went right through it.  
  
Landing on the other side, Artemis shook his head at an attempt to clear the cold feeling that had overcome him when he had jumped right through the black figure. He watched in horror as the figure continued to torment Luna.  
  
Angry with himself for being so helpless, Artemis tapped on the communicator that he wore on his ear.  
  
It was time for the scouts.  
  
---  
  
All hell broke loose.  
  
In the moment in which Serena had finally opened her eyes, Raye had flew at her in an angry rage, bent on inflicting pain on Serena, a sort of payback on the years past where they had suffered greatly.  
  
It had taken both Darien and Lita to pull her away from Serena, to restrain her from doing any more harm to both Serena and herself. Both Lita and Mina took Raye outside, away from Serena, leaving both Darien and Amy alone with her.  
  
Amy gasped at the sight of the red angry scratches that ran down Serena's face. Her instincts as a doctor taking over for the moment; a momentary shield against her real emotions.  
  
Finding a wet towel, Amy tended to Serena's injuries, and quietly apologised for Raye's actions.  
  
Serena shook her head. "Don't apologise, Amy. I had that coming for quite awhile now. I understand Raye's feelings."  
  
Amy pursed her lips. "Still, there's no need for such actions."  
  
Serena looked tenderly at her past friend. Her reckless actions of the past had left no room for her to regret them, but on those lonely nights in which she spent alone, she couldn't help but wonder how her old friends were doing.  
  
Amy being a particular friend that she had wondered about. She opened her mouth to gingerly attempt to repair the bonds that had once been. "Amy. I—"  
  
The door burst open as both Lita and Mina filled the doorway, a look of dread on their faces. "Amy, Darien. Luna and Artemis are in danger and we need to help them. Artemis asks for us to hurry."  
  
Both Amy and Darien jumped to their feet, and were on their way out the door, when Amy glanced back at a still seated Serena. She flashed her a small smile. "Stay here. We'll be back."  
  
And with that, they were gone, leaving Serena alone, a feeling that she was quite use to.  
  
---  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"I don't know, but we have to think of something, or we're sitting ducks."  
  
The Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, and the Guardian Cats faced the black figure, desperately finding a way to defeat it. They had come upon the fallen cats, and had retrieved him, using their attacks as a distraction. But instead of weakening, the figure remained a constant force, which seemed bent on finding another victim.  
  
Sailor Venus looked over at Mercury. "Mercury, can you scan for any weaknesses that... thing may possess?"  
  
Mercury shook her head. "I have already scanned it, and found nothing, nothing that hints at how it can be defeated. We're facing a virtually unbeatable thing."  
  
Jupiter shook her head. "That can't be. Every monster has an Achilles' heel. There's got to be something!"  
  
Mercury shook her head. "I've already checked. There's nothing. We're facing some sort of shadow monster, which possesses the power to withdraw power and energy from its victim.  
  
In a blinding fast speed, the hooded figure struck its next victim. Both Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars dropped to their knees, as the figure covered bent over them, sucking their energy.  
  
"Venus! Mars!"  
  
Jupiter stepped forward. "That's it! You're going down! Jupiter thunder, crash!"  
  
"Mercury bubbles, blast!"  
  
The combined attack dislodged the connection between the girls and the figure, but did not seem to overly affect it. The figure turned its attention on the group and re-opened the connection.  
  
Pain flooded through everyone's senses, causing all to fall to the ground. Venus and mars, having already been attacked by the figure were standing precariously on the edge of consciousness. Groans filled the air, as the figure leant in closer, the connection between all of them strengthening.  
  
Minutes of pain passed quickly, and both the Guardian Cats and half of the scouts were already unconscious from the figure's assault. The remaining three struggled in vain to get off an attack, but all were to weak to actually pull it off. Everything looked bleak for them.  
  
It was then, that a voice, clear and strong, rang through the night.  
  
"Not so fast, shadow creep!"  
  
---  
  
Whew!! Finally did it!! As always, R and R, and I hope to have chapter 7 out soon...


	7. Chapter Seven

**Distorted Love - Chapter seven**

**Author:** codegal

**Special Thanks to:** trunksvegetafrodo, Piper Halliwell2, Silver Moonlight-81, ClaimingUntoughable, fi3rg0d3ss, DragonAngell, Yamazaki Mukosho, Newfie Child, deathlioness, princess, Rosaleena and sexy-jess... thanks for the reviews guys...

**Disclaimer: **see other chapters...

**Author's Notes:** OK, first and foremost, let me just say that I am so very sorry for not updating this fanfic for the longest time... dude, there is nothing that could justify this neglection by me... second of all, I want to thank Rosaleena for giving me the wake up call, cause dude, I seriously totally forgot all about writing... I haven't written anything since "guardian angel" so... uh, bear with me as I slowly get reacquainted with the whole writing business... and finally, I wrote this all in one sitting, just letting my thoughts flow onto the screen, so, uh, if some parts dont make sense, its all good...

Anyways, on with the story...

"Not so fast, shadow creep!"

All eyes locked on the slim silhouette of a female that stood atop of the roof of the next building. The moon shone brightly behind the figure, concealing the identity of the voice from the view of the others.

With a great leap, the figure seemingly sailed effortlessly across the gap between the two buildings to land gracefully on her feet a few feet away. Everyone seemed transfixed on the figure, her movements weaving a hypnotic spell on the viewers. Their fixation though was broken by a sudden movement to the left of the figure.

With an astonishing speed, the seeker sprang forward towards the lone figure, its skeleton fingers extending forward and out from its robe. In only a few seconds, the seeker had reached the shadowed stranger and was now bearing upon her.

"Look out!" the guardian cats warned.

The others watched helplessly as the figure quickly dodged the outstretched claws of the seeker, leaping away in just the nick of time. Unfazed, the seeker quickly adjusted its position, and once again presumed its chase of the shadowed figure.

"Hold it right there, buddy!" Mars yelled, the first to snap out of her stupor. "Mars Fire Ball, Ignite!"

Mars launched her fireball attack towards the seeker, and succeeded in stopping it in its track for only a bare fraction of a second. Evidently, it was enough for the shadowed figure to make her move.

Rising to her feet, she faced the seeker and let out an agonising scream as a bright force of energy burst from within her, enshrouding the seeker in its pure light. The onlookers were knocked off their feet as the force hit them, causing them to sheild their eyes from the glare of its brightness.

It was a few moments before any of them were able to gain their feet, let alone move. Tuxedo Mask was the first to move, checking around for any sign of the seeker, though finding no trace of it. His gaze finally fell on the fallen stranger, who's form looked like that of a broken doll, lying in a boneless heap on the ground.

Alarmed, he quickly made his way over to the figure, kneeling down beside it. Up close, he was taken by surprised as he discovered the white and pink uniform that she was wearing. A pang of recognition ran through him, and with his heart beating erratically, he gently turned over the fallen body.

It was Serena. And she was out cold.

He swore aloud, anger clouding his mind that he hadn't come to here rescue. Lifting her into the cradle of his arms, he made sure not to jostle her as he quickly made his way back over to the other sailor scouts and the guardian cats.

As he approached nearer, the guardian cats sprang forward, their curiosity piqued.

"Who is it, Tuxedo Mask?" Artemis asked.

He grimaced. "You won't believe it."

"Who is it?" Luna persisted.

"Its Serena."

It took them all a total of three seconds before disbelief broke to the surface. "What?"

"I'm not joking. Its her and it looks like she's fallen unconscious from that last attack."

"Quickly, set her down and let me tend to her. She could be injured or something." Mercury ordered. Tuxedo Mask quickly complied with the order. They all stood around as Mercury made her routine check, all feeling a little awkward at the situation at hand.

"She seems to be alright." Mercury concluded, rising to her feet. "Her body is probably just recovering from spending all that energy."

"That was some awesome display of energy back there," Artemis commented, as an uncomfortable silence once descended upon the group. There were too many hurt feelings amongst the group for any of them to be exactly sure of what to do from there. In the past, they would have simply transported Serena's unconscious body to Darien's apartment, where he would have gladly taken the task of looking after her until she had regained her consciousness. Or if Tuxedo Mask hadnt been there, she was taken to Raye's temple and looked after by Grandpa.

But times had changed, and neither Darien nor Raye seemed all that eager to take her into their care. Another few moments of silence passed before Amy sighed and looked at her watch, abruptly coming to a decision.

"Look, I have to go back to work in a few hours. Why don't I take her with me and sign her into the hospital, where she's bound to receive all the attention she'll need for a full recovery."

She was met with non-commital shrugs. She couldn't help but let out another sigh, frustrated at the situation at hand for she knew that now was not the time to address the issue of betrayed feelings. For now, all that mattered was that they got Serena to somewhere warm where she could recover from the stress of her powerful attack.

She sensed the uncertainty of the group and deciding to take charge, slipping into her commanding doctor mode. "We'll meet for a debrief tomorrow afternoon. For now, everyone just go home and rest, we'll talk about everything tomorrow. I'll need someone to help me take Serena to the hospital though."

Her eyes rove over the crowd. No one seemed to want to volunteer, yet after a few seconds, Lita stepped forward almost resignedly and knelt down beside Serena. "I'll help you with her, Amy."

Amy nodded gratefully before dismissing the group. It seemed like they couldn't get away any quicker.

"I appreciate your help, Lita."

"No problems, Amy. I could see that no one was willing to volunteer their services, so I thought I should just do it."

"Thanks, Lita. I really do appreciate it."

The two stood silently and watched as Serena slept peacefully, her rhythmic breathing sending her bangs a flutter. The low murmur of the ward sounded softly throughout the room, adding to the sleepy atmosphere of the room.

Lita studied Serena's face, noting the differences in her appearances. What was then just an average teenage face, had now transformed into a classic beauty. She had high prominent cheek bones that were smudged with her long, thick black lashes. Her raspberry coloured lips was contrasted nicely with her pale, porcelain skin.

Noticing the changes and remembering the past five years brought a sudden shaft of pain to the fore, piercing Lita with a painful intensity. "I j-just cant believe all the stuff that has happened since that day." Lita whispered, tears forming as she shook with emotion.

"She was my best friend. She was always there for me, right there at the beginning when no one wanted to be my friend, she saw past my rough exterior to the person I really was inside. And when she left, it totally set my world into an uproar."

Amy nodded as she listened to Lita, her own eyes beginning to water. She didn't interfere, as she sensed that Lita needed this outpour, needed to say what was on her mind.

Lita drew another shaky breath. "When she left, I felt terribly lost, I mean, she had been my rock. I know everyone thought she was a total klutz and everything, but she could always make me laugh, never letting me down. Afterwards, all I could think about was what I should do now? I mean, everything was so crystal clear when she was here and then when she left, it was like, nothing made sense anymore. Why, Amy? Why did she leave?"

And with that, Lita, who had been the strong unwavering tower of the group dissolved into tears. Amy wrapped her arms around her friend, lending her support and comfort. She thought that now was the time to let out her part of the story.

"Lita, I can't answer that question for you. That's something you'd have to ask Serena about, but I will say that I felt the exact same way when she left. I never realised how much she mattered in my life, and when she went away, I was left with this large gaping hole that use to be the space Serena occupied. I struggled so hard to readjust to life without her and I can tell you this, I never really managed."

Amy let her tears fall, and the both of them stood together, comforting each other, bearing the pain together, something that they had never done in the past. Sniffling a bit and wiping her eyes with her sleeve, Lita gave Amy a shaky smile and confessed, "Even though I'm still upset that she had left us, I'm happy she's here now. Its about time she came back home."

Smiling, Amy gave a small nod. "I agree."

Hugging each other, the two knew that although they still had a few questions for Serena to answer, they were more or less at peace with her. And they were glad about it.

He couldn't exactly explain what compelled him to go visit Serena in the hospital. He couldn't even remember how he had gotten there, only that from the time he had gotten home from the battle, he had had this sudden urge to go and see how she was doing.

Serena.

Five years and the pain of losing her was still strong in his memory. He couldn't even begin to explain the overwhelming grief that had taken a hold of him when he had learnt that she had left. It was as if the life had been squeezed out of him. He couldn't function at all, finding comfort in alcohol, something he'd never had normally done. But then again, nothing had ever been normal again after she had left.

The pain of that day was still too strong, still too intense. He had gone over to her house to apologise for the way he had been acting, convinced that he should explain to her father that he was no longer going to go along with his plan, that seeing Serena's pain and knowing that he was the cause of it was just unbearable.

On arriving there, he had found the girls and her family all gathered together, weeping over her sudden departure. As he was informed of Serena's whereabouts, his immediate reaction was disbelief. His second was to search her out himself. It wasn't until a few days later, when he heard that the Tsukino's were moving to America to be with their daughter that he finally accepted what he had desperately refused to believe.

She had left. Without telling him.

It was the first time in his adult years that he had ever shed tears. He had been engulfed with the memories of her and their time spent together; the good, the bad, and the in-betweens. She had been his partner in everything, and for her to up and leave him without so much as a goodbye had been completely devastating.

He stood now outside her hospital room, watched as she slept peacefully. He watched the even rhythm of her chest as it rose and fell, watched the way her lips slightly parted during sleep, watched as her bangs fluttered about her face.

He closed his eyes as the pain washed over him. It was just like old times, when he had watched her sleep after a trying battle. He had looked over her and made sure she had a good sleep, that she never had any nightmares, and when she did, which was really rare, he had always been there, his arms wrapped tightly around her, letting her know that she wasn't alone. Never alone.

There was a thick knot in his throat, and he had to swallow to clear it. He looked again at her sleeping form, making sure that she was ok before turning away and returning home. Regardless of their failed past and the issues between them that still needed to be resolved, one thing was for certain: now that she was here, he was never letting her go.

dont forget to read and review guys... thanks...


	8. Chapter Eight

**Title:** Distorted Love – chapter eight

**Author:** codegal

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Sailor moon

**Special Thanks to: **Kaori-Angel, sexy-jess, celticas, Goddess –Princess-Serenity, sexylucifer, princess of star, saimui, unearthlyangel89, Redroses, Elizabeth, The Cuteness, yellow, MoonYashaNichi, Megan Consoer, GoddessMoonLady, Sweet-Innocence, Lita Chan, purple psycho, Chibi-Chichan, allieb13, DaTruePrincess and sarrangxoxo… thanks for the review…

**AN:** ah, crap… I think it's been like, more than two years since I last updated or something close to that…. The only thing I have to say for myself is that yes, I AM a lazy butt… even my DarienMuse wants to kosh me on the head for my laziness… Anyways, thanks to my sis for reading it over and telling me what she thought about it…hope you enjoy this next part… it might be a little dodgy, I haven't written anything in so long… so lets all cross our fingers, sit back and enjoy chapter eight…

--

The sudden sound of a curtain being pulled open and the bright morning sunlight on her face awoke Serena from her restful slumber.

She stretched and yawned tiredly, murmuring a good morning to Natalie, her chaperone.

"Who's Natalie?"

Serena's eyes flew open. She focused on the figure standing in front of the window. "Who are you?"

The lady stepped aside, and Serena could see that she was dressed in scrubs. "I'm your nurse, Anna. Dr. Mizuno has instructed me to check up on you. Now, I have to go do my rounds, but if you need anything, you just press that buzzer next to your bed and I'll come see to it."

And with that, Anna left, and Serena was left feeling oddly bereft.

She looked around her room, noting the sparse yet comfortable atmosphere of the room with its one arm chair, TV, and pastel walls. With nothing else better to do, she closed her eyes and was about to fall back to sleep when the image of her chaperone flitted across her mind.

_Oh, crap, _Serena thought. _Natalie was gonna kill her for not calling._

She struggled into a sitting position, her sore muscles protesting against the action. She gritted her teeth against the pain of it and swung her legs over the bed. Gasping in much needed air, she paused for a moment to catch her breath before gaining her feet. A sudden wave of dizziness hit her, and she was forced to sit back down on the bed, fighting the rise of nausea.

She gave herself a few more minutes before trying again, and was met with much less the same reaction.

Tears of frustration filled her eyes. Looking around her bed, she spotted the buzzer and pressed it. Not seeing Anna appear automatically, she pressed the buzzer again quite frantically. A few minutes later, Anna came striding in, and stopped at the sight of her charge. "You, young lady, are suppose to rest. What are you doing trying to get out of bed?"

Serena waved away her worry. "I need to get to a phone. I need to call Natalie."

"You can call Natalie at another time, dear. For now, you need to get into bed."

Serena grabbed onto Anna's arm as she tried to assist her back into bed. "You don't understand. I was supposed to be back at the hotel after the teen's choice awards. Natalie is a crazy woman, once she finds out that I didn't come back, she'll send out a search team for me. And when they find me, she's going to rip me into shreds for breaking the rules she has implicitly given to me. Let me call her, please."

Anna looked doubtful for a moment, remembering her role as a nurse did not extend to giving patients free phone calls. "I don't know."

"Fine," Serena announced, "when she finds me and asks me why I didn't bother to pick up a stinking phone and call her, I'm gonna tell her that my nurse wouldn't let me make that phone call."

Anna rolled here eyes. _Kids, _she thought. "Oh, alright, then! Just this one time, but you have to promise me that after you make this phone call, you'll rest."

Serena smiled, "I promise. Thank you so much." Wanting to prove that she was as good as her word, she swung her legs back into bed and pulled the covers over her, her mission completed.

Anna left the room and returned a minute later with a cordless phone. "Make the call. But if anyone asks, I didn't give you the phone, deal?"

"Deal."

--

The next time Serena woke up was to loud noises outside the closed door to her room. Perturbed, she raised herself onto her eyebrows, closing her eyes against the sudden headache that seemed to have come from nowhere before sitting up.

_I hate post battles, _Serena thought. _Definitely was the sucky part to saving the universe… Gosh, I'm out of shape…_

She grinned to herself in the dark, but then was startled at the sudden crash at the door. Squinting her eyes at the sudden burst of light from the hallway, Serena could make out a figure standing in the entrance, a figure that looked quite familiar…

"I let you attend the Teen's Choice Awards by yourself in New York and end up having to save you from the hospital ward in freaking Tokyo. What the heck are you doing here, girl?"

Serena groaned and then sank back down to her bed.

"Don't you take that tone with me, missy. What's wrong with you, huh? Why do I have to chase you all the way to freaking Tokyo?"

"Hi, to you too, Natalie."

Serena could hear her chaperone and long time friend stalk into the room, the click of her heels telling Serena that she was decked out in her usual attire: dress shirt, short skirt and heels. A sudden burst of light hit her closed eyelids, which corresponded with the sound of a curtain being opened.

"There. Now it doesn't feel as dungeony as before."

"Is that even a word?" Serena muttered, opening her eyes again to look at Natalie.

She grinned. "If it isn't, it should be. Now, what seems to be the problem here? It's the middle of the day and your still in bed."

"I'll explain it to you later, OK? Right now, I just wanna get out of this place and into some more comfortable clothes, alright? And some coffee wouldn't be too bad, either."

Ten minutes later, Serena found herself being whisked into a wheelchair, much to the chagrin of her attending nurse, Anna, who had tried to protest to her discharge without Dr. Mizuno's professional opinion. Natalie had waved her concerns away and with the no nonsense tone that she usually used on Serena, got her stuff bagged and ready for her leave.

Serena leant back against the wheelchair, still tired and worn out, her mind still on the events of last night. What had possessed her to go out and fight crime after a five year absence could be summarized in a few simple words. She still loved her friends. After all these years, after all the separation between them, she had still wanted to help her friends out in their time of need. Not to mention her former boyfriend, Darien.

The thought of his name roused her out of her thoughts, and like a love-sick child, she hopelessly searched for but a glimpse of him in this hospital, though she knew her attempts would be futile. No matter how much she lied to herself, she couldn't deny the fact that she was very much in love with him. She had never gone out with any other man, much less talked to them outside what her career had called for during her absence from Tokyo. And it wasn't because of the lack of opportunity either. In her mind, there would be no other room in her heart but Darien, and for her to go out with anyone would simply be an act of leading them on.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the here and now, and found herself in the main lobby of the hallway. Natalie was still walking next to her, chatting away, as she was fond of doing. A small smile crept onto her face as she listened. The sudden opening of the hospital double doors caught her attention, and from across the lobby, she faced the one person known to make her knees go weak.

Darien.

She felt shell-shocked. Was it really him, or a figment of her imagination? He entered the lobby, a small bouquet of roses in his left hand, dressed in a cotton shirt, jeans and boots. Her eyes roved hungrily over his lean form, from his wide shoulders to his lean waist, to his powerful legs encased in jeans that molded against his muscular legs. Damn, he looked good.

Serena's breath hitched in her throat, and it was as if that miniscule sound caught his attention, because he looked up, saw her being wheeled towards him, turned around and walked out at a brisk pace, but not before Serena could discern the bewildered look that crossed his face.

Watching his retreating figure, Serena sat up straighter in her chair, gathering her energy to call his name. "Darien!"

But whether he heard her or not was lost on Serena as his figure steadily disappeared into the distance and out of her sight. Serena sighed. "Oh, Darien."

--

And that's it for now… I know this was a boring chapter to wait for, but I promise, now that this is over and done with, relationships can get to mending… as always, read and review…


	9. Chapter Nine

**Title:** Distorted Love

**Disclaimer:** see previous chapters

**Special Thanks to:** Kissin Katexo, serenity11287, sousie, raye85, starangel07, Rebelious-Angel, afallenblackrose, River Angel, Jingy5, jupiter2005, LizMaxforever, Sailormoonloverlol and blondie1765. Thanks for the review.

**Author's Notes:** OK, this might be really confusing but I've just now realised that I've been spelling some of the character's names in the Japanese style anime... so in the interest of everyone involved, I think I'm gonna stick with the American spellings, i.e. Ami Amy. And yes, I know that this was a long time in coming and you have my sincerest apologies.

**...**

"So, you're leaving?"

Serena shook herself out of her stupor, forgetting Darien for the moment. Looking up, she noticed Amy standing by the reception counter. Serena couldn't help but wonder if Amy's words were a mere inquiry into her decision to leave the hospital or if it held any deeper meaning. Knowing Amy for one who wouldn't deal in subterfuge, she opted for the latter and took a deep breath. Now was as good a time as any to clear the air between them, and with this new evil, she was gonna need all the help that she could get.

"Amy? Is there anywhere we could talk? You know, privately?"

Amy paused for a moment, and Serena held her breath, wondering if her old friend was going to deny her peace token. But after checking her wristwatch, Amy nodded and led Serena to a nearby sitting room that was off to the side of the reception area.

A lovely sun room, Serena could see out the French doors to the lovely little garden outside, a small refuge for the souls ravaged by the constant need for medical attention. Wheeling herself over to the French doors, Serena took a breath before starting, "I know that when I left, I tore a big hole in everyone's life. I know that you were really mad about it and I'm gonna let you have your say about it. I'm not gonna say one thing because God knows that you deserve to air out your grievances about me leaving."

Bracing herself, Serena closed her eyes and waited for the tirade to start. But it never did. Wheeling herself around, she looked at her long time friend. And cringed when she saw the tears streaming down her face. "Amy, please don't cry. Just yell at me, it'll make you feel better, I promise!"

Amy laughed softly before wiping the tears away. She sniffled and shook her head at once. "I was mad at you. When I think of how sick the girls got worrying about you, how many sleepless nights we had, how completely useless we felt. But than, over the years, I got to thinking, that maybe I could kinda understand why you did what you did."

Serena shook her head, "Amy, please. You don't have to--"

Amy lifted her hand up for silence. "Please, I want to say all of it."

Serena subsided and looked at her friend worriedly.

Amy gave a small smile, "What I was trying to say, is that I understand. I don't necessarily agree, but I understand why you did it. All of us, we're always looking for your shoulder to cry on, to lean on you for your support, and you never ask anyone for theirs in return. You always were the strongest of us all, and I guess you were bound to meet your breaking limit at some stage. I don't know, maybe I wasn't good enough of a friend to help you through things, but I did think that no matter what, we would be able to make things through together, despite how bad things became. I'm just sorry that you didn't think the same way."

Serena swallowed audibly and looked down at her lap. Tears of regret, sorrow and shame streamed down her face. Why is it that the things that seemed to important to her five years ago seem suddenly trivial? Her utter despair over what she had assumed was her abandonment was suddenly revealed as a lack of communication on her part and pure selfishness. She wept bitterly.

A gentle touch on her shoulder had her looking up into Amy's ever kind face. How is it, that she had thought that this kind, gentle soul could ever abandon her?

"Serena, please understand that I don't say these words to wound you. I just wanted to clear things up between the two of us. I would like very much to be friends again, to go back to the old days when we were so carefree."

Serena could do nothing but weep while nodding her head vigorously in acceptance of Amy's offer. Amy couldn't help but laugh. Straightening away from the wheelchair, she smiled as she walked away, her words of parting trailing over her shoulder. "Alright, then. I've got to get back to doing my rounds, but I will see you soon? I trust you've left your details with the discharge nurse?"

Before she completely disappeared, Serena called out to her one more time, "Amy?"

A pause as the said woman looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"

Serena smiled gratefully, "Thank you."

**...**

"What do you mean I still have to work today? I've just been discharged from the hospital!"

Natalie barely raised a brow at her charge's whining. She had, in fact, gotten quite use to it over the years. She shook a stern finger in her face, "it's not our fault that you disappeared the night before your scheduled commercial shoot for the shine hair products that I've only been reminding you every day of the week! You know how important these clients are to Emanuel! They've been supporting him since he first started in the business! So don't you dare complain to me, missy!"

Serena bit back her reply that she had not wanted to do it in the first place. Emanuel's long time friends were indeed good people. They couldn't help it if their offspring couldn't inspire the same confidence in others as his parents. The thought of him was unsettling enough for Serena to push him to the back of her mind. She would have to deal with him shortly, so there was no point in getting all worked up about it now.

"Well, can we at least stop somewhere for a quick bite to eat? I haven't had anything since the night before, and let me tell you, I've never been a big fan of hospital food. It would make me feel better so I'd be able to make it through the whole thing."

Natalie cast a stern eye at Serena. It was never a good idea to let that girl eat anything before photo shoots, as she was the only model Natalie knew that had the ability to eat not one, but two whopper meals at her favourite fast food restaurant. On the other hand though, Serena did seem to look rather pale, and her eyes were red, evidence of the fact that she had been crying. Did it have something to do with that blue-haired lady?

"Well, I guess we can stop for a little salad or something like that," Natalie allowed grudgingly. "Is there something specifically that you wanted?"

Serena gave a small smile. "I know just the place."

**...**

"Hey, Lita! Would take a look at these ladies!? I think I'm in love."

Lita rolled her eyes, not pausing in her chore of washing up the plates after the afternoon rush. Business had been going pretty good so far, much to Lita and Charlie's pleasure. They had been together since getting out of Culinary School, and it looked like to Lita that they might make enough money to expand. Pretty soon, they'd be able to turn the little cafe/diner into a full-scale restaurant.

"It seems like you fall in love every day, Chuck."

"That is absolutely not true. And I'm being serious this time. Two angels are now making their way to our humble establishment. It's definitely a sign. We were meant to be."

Lita shook her head with exasperation. She had thought she was somewhat of a hopeless romantic, but that was nothing compared to Charlie. Charlie was a real skirt-chaser, always had ladies on his mind. But the poor thing could never seem to score any. She giggled to herself. He was a nice enough guy, the only thing wrong about him was the fact that he wasn't drop dead gorgeous, nor was he the smoothest person on earth. And he was always tripping over his own feet. Yep, there was no doubt about it, Chuck had all the makings of a certified loser, the only saving grace was the fact that he could whip up five course meals with no sweat.

"They're coming in!" Charlie's announced from out front, giving a high-pitched squeal. Lita chuckled to herself.

"Hello, Ladies. Welcome to GoodEats. How may I be of service today?"

"We'd like two chicken Caesar salads with two glasses of water."

"OK, coming right up. And don't worry, I will personally see to its preparation to make sure you get quality for your money."

Lita stifled a giggle. It seemed as though Charlie was already working his magic. Seconds later, he rushed into the kitchen, his excitement palpable in the small kitchen area. "Lita, check it out, the brown-haired lady is totally digging me. She totally smiled at me, and I mean, a real genuine smile. Like, yeah, they're both hot, what with the lady's friend being a blue-eyed and blonde hair knockout, but I gotta go with the older one cause, well, you know what they say about older women and all."

Lita smiled and shook her head. "No, Charlie, I don't. What do they say about older women?"

Charlie turned red and quickly turned his back, feigning intense concentration as he chopped up the greens for the salad. "Well, um, I mean, its only what I've heard the other guys say, uh, er—what I mean to say is…never mind."

Lita laughed as Charlie added the finishing touches to the salads and poured ranch dressing into a separate small bowl before placing everything on a black tray to take out. Hoisting the tray up on his shoulder, he headed towards the door and asked Lita if she could bring the drinks of water. Complying with his request, Lita grabbed two glasses and followed Charlie out to the eating area. She could see the two patrons at one of the booths lining the far wall.

The closer that she got to the two, the more she was struck with a sense of familiarity with the blonde lady. Lita knew, before she even turned around, what the identity of the blonde lady was. Placing the two cups down on the table, she turned to the blonde patron. "Hello, Serena. What brings you here?"

Serena looked up at a face that she hadn't seen for five years. She smiled weakly at Lita's greeting. "We were kinda hungry and I immediately thought of this place. I actually did hope that I'd run into you here, and now that I have, I'm glad."

"Mmmm, this sure looks good." Natalie added, picking up her fork to dig into the salad. Biting into the chicken, she gave a sigh of appreciation and smiled at Charlie. "This is very good. Thanks for that."

Charlie blushed at the compliment and laughed, shrugging the attention off. "Its what I do, so I do hope that I've gotten good at it."

Serena and Lita both smiled in reaction, before Serena turned to her. "On a serious note," she said quietly, "I did wish to have a chance to speak to you, if you have the time?"

Lita watched Serena warily. In her mind, she had already made up with Serena for her past actions, but there was still something inside her that wanted to be petty, that wanted to make her feel at least a little of what she had gone through, to not give her the time of day. But looking at her now, she found that she couldn't deny her. She couldn't say no to the girl that had always brightened her day, had always been there for her when she was having boy troubles, had always been willing to be a guinea pig for her many and various new recipes, had always managed to make her smile with that goofy laugh of hers and her carefree personality.

"Sure. Let's go to the kitchen, we can have a little privacy there."

"Thanks."

Serena slid out of the booth and followed Lita out to the back. On their exit, Charlie took the initiative to take the recently vacated seat. "So, I didn't actually catch your name…"

Lita couldn't help but burst into giggles. Serena had also caught the by-play and couldn't help but smile. "Your friend putting the moves on my manager, huh?"

"It looks like it."

They entered the kitchen area, Lita going over to the work bench to lean against it while Serena looked around in amazement. "Wow, so I take it that you did go through with culinary school. Congratulations."

Lita nodded. "Thanks. It was hard, and a lot of times, I just wanted to give up, but I had Charlie with me so we went through everything together. If it weren't for him, I don't think I could have made it."

Serena smiled sadly at her words. Regret overwhelmed her at that moment. She had wished fervently that she'd be there for her friends always when they needed her. She was just glad that Charlie had been a friend to Lita when she most needed one. She mentally shrugged, now was not the time to reflect on herself! "The reason why I've come is I would like for us to be friends again. I know that there must be a lot of things that you want to say to me right now, and I want you to say all of it. And don't spare my feelings either. I'd rather it all be out there in the open then locked up inside of you."

Serena bowed her head and waited for the tirade to wash over her. But after a few minutes without a single word from Lita, she dared to raise her head and take a peek, only to find that her old friend stood there, tears rolling silently down her face, a small, sad smile on her face. Alarmed, she reached out a hand, yet paused, hovering hesitantly over her shoulder. Would her old friend welcome any comfort she would give her? Hesitantly, she murmured her name.

Lita shook her head and wiped her tears with the arm of her sleeve, "I'm fine. I just--it gets to be too much, you know?"

Serena withdrew her hand, and nodded solemnly. "I understand."

Lita looked at Serena warily. "I mean, all this time, I resented you, because you were supposed to have been my friend. Ever since I met you that day long ago, first having saved you from those goons, and then again later that day during lunch, when you saved me from my loneliness, when you refused to be afraid of me like all the others, I wanted to desperately to one day become the same kind of person that you were. And you leaving meant that I had failed. And I hated you for that, hated you for having exposed that weakness in me."

Serena shook her head, "Lita, no, please don't feel that way! It was my own selfishness th--"

Lita chuckled softly and shook her head, "you silly goof. I guess you still haven't changed a bit. I thought you said that you weren't going to interrupt."

Serena looked adequately chastened, "yes, I did, and I do mean to let you speak without interruption. I just don't want you to take any of the blame upon yourself."

"No, its alright. I need to come to terms with what it is thats stopping me from becoming a friend you can count on. Serena, five years ago, I didn't understand why it was that you could leave us. But now that I reflect upon it, I can see why. You were never anything but yourself, always showing us that you cared, always trying to make us laugh with your goofy antics, always there when we needed you most. And yet, when you needed us most, we weren't at all understanding, we didn't even try to understand. We were so quick to judge. Actually, let me rephrase that, because I cannot really speak for the other ladies but for myself. I was never there for you when you needed me most. And you wanting to leave hit me hard, because that meant that I wasn't as irreplaceable as you were in my life. And so, I'm sorry... I'm sorry that you couldn't have come to me, confided in me, or have relied on me to give you any support. But if you want it, I would appreciate it if we were friends again, much like the old times, but even better."

And with that, Lita extended out her hand towards Serena, unshed tears shining in her eyes, her lips quivering with emotion. Serena's own heart clenched, was there nothing in this world more moving than a person in need, with no barriers or masks concealing their true selves, coming humbly towards another? Tears overflowed as Serena grasped Lita's hand in hers, drawing closer.

"No, Lita. It is I that needs to apologise. Never think that you were not a good friend to me, because you were. You were the best! Leaving all those years ago is something that I'm still struggling to come to terms with, but its all on me, there is nothing that would imply that you were not as good a friend as you should have been. So please, don't be so hard on yourself. You have always been there for me when I most needed, and for that I thank you. And I would jump at the opportunity to be your friend again in a heartbeat. It would be an honor, and I know that we can become even closer friends than we were before."

Lita smiled, and ruffled Serena's hair. "See, its just like old times, you always happen to say the words that I need to hear the most. Thanks, Serena."

Serena stared at her friend. How is it that she could forgive so easily? How is it that she could still offer her a hand of friendship, a hand of salvation?

"Uh, by the way. Now that you're in here, I've remembered something. I've come up with this new dessert that I want to try putting on the menu, but I'm not too sure how people are gonna like it. Wanna try it out, see if its any good?"

"What, dessert? Definitely! Let me at it."

Lita smiled, and hurried to the refridgerator. "Just wait right there..."

**...**

Can it be?! Have I finally finished chapter 9?! Nan desu ka? Anyway, stay tuned for chapter 10 when more relationships start to mend and a mysterious girl appears! As always, read and review...


End file.
